Rouhani's Citizens' Rights Charter: A Harmful Distraction

Human Rights Deteriorated in Iran Since Signing of Charter, With Many Abuses by
Rouhani's Own Intelligence Ministry

Iran's President Rouhani with his cabinet

May 1, 2018-President Hassan Rouhani's signature domestic initiative-a Citizens'
Rights Charter which lays out in 120 articles the rights and freedoms of Iranian
citizens as stated in Iranian law-has no ability to impact the human rights
situation in Iran in any meaningful way and has in fact done harm by distracting
attention from the causes of rights abuses in Iran and the reforms needed.

"President Rouhani's Citizens' Rights Charter has only helped to mask the
deterioration in human rights that has occurred in Iran," said Hadi Ghaemi,
executive director of CHRI.

"If Rouhani wants to impact the rights situation in Iran he can start by
reigning in his own Intelligence Ministry, which has played a leading role in
the unlawful arrests and persecution of rights activists," Ghaemi added.

Among the key findings of the briefing:

Since the charter's signing in December 2016, there has been a deterioration
in all major areas referenced in the document, including the right to
freedom of expression, association, assembly and demonstration and the right
to due process and a fair trial.

Even in ministries under Rouhani's direct control, rights violations are
routine, especially unlawful arrests and charges against rights activists by
the Intelligence Ministry.

With no means of implementation or enforcement, the charter cannot impact
the human rights situation in Iran; it should not be viewed as a sign of
progress.

Rouhani no longer intends to submit the charter to Parliament as a bill; he
now states the charter's purpose is to document Iranians' rights and promote
public awareness. It does not address the fact that these rights already
exist in Iranian law, and they are ignored with impunity.

The charter is harming the rights situation in Iran by:

Giving a false sense of progress.

Reducing pressure to address rights violations.

Diverting attention from actions Rouhani could take, such as holding his
own Intelligence Ministry accountable to the law and, as the enforcer of
Iran's Constitution, publicly addressing violations of citizens' rights
by the Iranian Judiciary.

"Until the people of Iran are able to freely express their views and dissent and
Iran's intelligence and security agencies are held to the rule of law-and the
Judiciary acts to defend that law, no charter, or any mere recitation of rights,
will address the human rights crisis in Iran," noted Ghaemi.